Beverage or Foodstuff Dispenser

ABSTRACT

A beverage or foodstuff dispenser comprises a generally cylindrical body part having at one end a dispensing channel for dispensing a jelly, gel or paste to a user and at the other end an opening for receiving a dispensing member. The dispensing member and the generally cylindrical body part are provided with one or more protuberances and one or more corresponding guide channels for guiding the protuberances so as to cause movement of the dispensing member along and within the body part towards the one end as the dispensing member is rotated first in one rotational direction and then in the opposite rotational direction relative to the body part, thereby to provide the dispensing of the jelly, gel or paste through the channel.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority to GB 1410061.4, filed on Jun. 6,2014, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD

This invention relates to a beverage or foodstuff dispenser and inparticular, although not exclusively, to a foodstuff dispenser forcontaining and dispensing jelly.

BACKGROUND

It is well known to use gelatin to make foodstuffs that are knownvariously around the world as jelly, jello, gel, and gelatin desserts(hereafter jelly). The making of a jelly typically involves the additionof gelatin to a heated liquid (e.g. water or a fruit juice) and thesubsequent cooling of the mixture, for instance in a refrigerator. Uponcooling, the mixture sets to form the jelly, which is a solid orsemisolid. Jellies can be flavored and colored, and are widely eaten bychildren and adults alike. Jellies may be made with a wide range ofingredients. Jellies are typically consumed from a bowl or pot using aspoon. A fruit preserve that is set with pectin is not a jelly in thiscontext. but can be considered a gel. It is known also to make jelliesusing alcoholic drinks, typically distilled spirits (known as liquor insome parts of the world) such as vodka, tequila, gin etc. A jelly madefrom gelatin is a solid or semisolid and does not flow, even though ithas typically a very high water content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an outer body of a drinkingvessel in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 a is a side view of an inner body of the drinking vessel;

FIG. 2 b is an isometric view of the inner body;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the outer body of the drinking vessel;

FIG. 4 a is a side view of a first option for a lid of the drinkingvessel;

FIG. 4 b is a front view of the lid;

FIG. 5 a is a cutaway view of the outer body of the drinking vessel;

FIG. 5 b is an end view of the outer body of the drinking vessel;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the drinking vessel with the outer body,inner body and lid connected together and some internal elements shownin dashed lines;

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b are schematic views illustrating different form forchannels in the outer body of the drinking vessel;

FIGS. 8 a to 8 d are views of different forms for protuberances on theinner body of the drinking vessel;

FIGS. 9 a and 9 b are isometric and end views of an inner body of thedrinking vessel according to a different embodiment;

FIG. 9 c is a view of an outer body of the drinking vessel according tothe different embodiment;

FIG. 10 a is a side view of a second option for a lid of the drinkingvessel;

FIG. 10 b is a front view of the lid; and

FIG. 11 illustrates detail of a different form of channel on the outerbody of the drinking vessel according to a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a beverage or foodstuff dispenser comprising agenerally cylindrical body part having at one end a channel fordispensing a jelly, gel or paste to a user is disclosed. The other endof the dispenser has an opening for receiving a dispensing member,wherein the dispensing member and the generally cylindrical body partare provided with one or more protuberances and one or morecorresponding channels for guiding the protuberances so as to causemovement of the dispensing member along and within the body part towardsthe one end as the dispensing member is rotated first in one rotationaldirection and then in the opposite rotational direction relative to thebody part, thereby to provide the dispensing of the jelly, jello, orpaste through the channel.

The one or more protuberances may be provided on the dispensing memberand the one or more corresponding channels may be provided on thegenerally cylindrical body part.

The number of protuberances may equal the number of channels.Alternatively, the number of protuberances may be greater than number ofchannels, for instance an integer multiple of the number of channels.The one or more channels may have a generally sinusoidal form.

The distance between successive peaks of the one or more channels may beequal for the length of the channels. The dispenser may comprise pluralprotuberances spaced at different longitudinal positions along thedispenser. The distance between successive peaks of the one or morechannels may vary along the length of the channels. The channel may betapered and/or includes one or more bends.

The dispensing member may have a face that extends across thelongitudinal axis of the body part in use and may be configured to exertan expelling force against the jelly, gel or paste as the dispensingmember moves helically within the body part. The face of the dispensingmember may be substantially planar. Alternatively, the face of thedispensing member may be non-planar. Here, the face of the dispensingmember may have a valley shaped, e.g. V- or U-shaped, cross section. Thedispensing member may include a grip for allowing a user to rotate thedispensing member relative to the body part.

The generally cylindrical body part may comprise an outer body and alid, and the channel may be formed at least in part in the lid.

The outer body may include an end member at one end, the end memberincluding an aperture that forms at least part of the channel. The outerbody may include an end member at one end, the end member including anaperture; the generally cylindrical body part may comprise an outer bodyand a lid, and the channel may be formed in part in the lid and in partby the aperture. The aperture included in the end member may align withan opening of the channel of the lid when the lid is fitted to the outerbody.

The dispenser may contain a jelly, gel or paste.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention makesreference to the accompanying drawings in which like references indicatesimilar elements, showing by way of illustration specific embodiments ofpracticing the invention. Description of these embodiments is insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention. One skilled in the art understands that other embodiments maybe utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical, functional andother changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, notto be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present inventionis defined only by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 shows an outer body 20, which is of a generally cylindrical form.In FIG. 1, the outer body 20 is in cross-section with an uppermost endshown at the top of the figure and a lowermost end shown at the bottomof the figure. The outer body 20 includes a tubular part 3 that isgenerally vertical in the figure. Formed over most or all of the heightof the tubular member 3 is a thread bearing section 4. One or more guidethreads or channels 5 are formed on the innermost surface of the threadbearing section 4 of the outer body 20. The thread bearing section 4extends from the bottom end of the outer body 20 to the top or almostthe top of the tubular member 3.

The lowermost end of the outer body 20 is open. At the top end of theouter body 20 is provided an end member 1, which is visible in bothFIGS. 1 and 3. The end member here is planar and extends substantiallyperpendicularly to the tubular member 3. An aperture 10 is formed in theend member 1. As can be seen best in FIG. 3, the aperture 10 is locatedadjacent one side of the area that is formed by the end member 1. Theaperture 10 in this example is eye- or almond-shaped.

The inner body 30 is shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b. The inner body 30 has agenerally cylindrical shape. The inner body has a top end wall 7 and abottom end wall 12. The top end wall 7 forms a piston face, as isdescribed below.

A main wall 6 of the outer body 20 is substantially cylindrical inshape. One or more protuberances 2 are formed on the outermost surfaceof the wall 6. There are eight protuberances 2 in this example. Theprotuberances 2 on the outermost surface of the inner body 30 correspondto the guide threads 5 on the innermost surface of the outer body 20.The outer diameter of the wall 6 of the inner body 30 and the innerdiameter of the thread bearing section 4 of the outer body 20 areselected such that the fit of the guide threads 5 and protuberances 2 isreasonably tight but can easily be operated by a user.

FIG. 5 a illustrates the form of one of the guide threads 5.

The guide threads 5 do not continue in the same direction for the wholeof their length. The guide threads alternate between extending clockwiseand then anticlockwise along the length of the inner body. Put anotherway, the guide thread 5 changes between extending in opposite directionsalong its length. In the example shown in FIG. 5 a, the guide thread 5has a generally sinusoidal shape. However, it may instead be triangular,saw-tooth or some other shape. The guide thread 5 is angled with respectto the plane crossing the longitudinal axis of the drinking vessel whenextending in one direction (clockwise or anticlockwise) andadvantageously in both directions.

In brief, the inner body 30 is able to be moved into the outer body 20by maneuvering the inner body 30 relative to the outer body 20 such thatthe protuberances 5 slide along the guide-threads. The shape of theguide threads 5 dictates the movement of the outer body 20 relative tothe inner body 30 as the inner body extends into the outer body. Becausethe guide threads alternate between extending clockwise and thenanticlockwise along the length of the inner body, the movement of theouter body 20 relative to the inner body 30 as the inner body extendsinto the outer body is an oscillatory movement in that it is firsthelically clockwise then helically anticlockwise and then helicallyclockwise again. The effect of this is explained in more detail below.

The outer body 20 defines a volume 11 into which liquids can besupplied.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show a lid 40 that is able to be provided on the outerbody 20. The lid 40 includes a tubular part 11 that is dimensioned so asto allow the lid 40 to be fitted over the top end of the outer body 20.The tubular part 11 is provided on its innermost surface with a thread15, which fits with a thread 18 that is provided on the outermostsurface of the uppermost part of the tubular member 3 of the outer body20. This allows the lid 40 to be screwed onto the outer body 20.Moreover, once the lid 40 has been screwed into place on the outer body20 with a reasonable amount of torque, it is held in place by a frictionfit and a corresponding amount of torque in the opposite direction isrequired in order to unscrew the lid 40 from the outer body 20.

When the lid 40 has been screwed into place on the outer body 20, theaperture 10 in the end member 1 of the outer body 20 is aligned with alowermost end of a channel 19 that is formed within the main body of thelid 40. The channel 19 extends from the lowermost end, which is adjacentto the aperture 10 in the end member 1, to an aperture 14 in a spout 13at its uppermost end. This is best visible in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b. Thecross-sectional area of the aperture of the channel 19 at the aperture14 of the spout 13 is less than the cross-sectional area of the channel19 at its lowermost end, which is closest to the aperture 10 in theouter body 20. The difference in cross-sectional area between the topand the bottom of the channel 19 may be in the order of two to fivetimes, i.e. the cross-sectional area of the bottom of the channel 19 maybe between two and five times the cross-sectional area of the channel atthe aperture 14. The difference in the area dictates the difference inspeed of ejection of fluids from the aperture 14 from the spout and thespeed of fluids exiting the aperture 10 of the outer body 20.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the lowermost end 12 of the inner body 30 maybe provided with a gnarled outer surface, so as to allow it easily to begripped by a user in use.

The dimensions of the drinking vessel may be chosen so as to provide anyrequired volume of jelly. For instance, providing the outer body 20 withan internal diameter of 5 cm and a height of 6.1 cm provides a volume ofapproximately 4 US fl. oz. of content, or 120 ml. This may be suitablefor a jelly beverage for a child. An adult may prefer a drinking vesselwith a capacity of 180 ml or 240 ml. A drinking vessel for an alcoholdrink with a high spirit/liquor content (a shot drink) may have acapacity of 60 ml or thereabouts.

The use of the drinking vessel for containing and dispensing jelly willnow be described.

The drinking vessel is filled with jelly firstly by separating the innerand outer bodies 20, 30 and removing the lid 40, if the components werenot already separated. Then, a temporary lid (not shown) is placed overthe end of the outer body 20 that is uppermost in FIG. 1. The outer body20 and lid are then inverted, such that the lid and aperture 10 are atthe bottom. When the outer body 20 has been placed on the flat surface,it provides an aperture at its uppermost end that has a diameter equalto the diameter of the outer body 20. Because of the temporary lid, thelowermost end of the outer body 20 is closed when the outer body 20 isin this position.

A jelly mixture is created by mixing gelatin (or an alternative such asAgar, also known as agar-agar) with hot water or juice and whateverflavorings and colorings and other ingredients (e.g. alcoholic drinkingredient) are required to be included in the jelly. The mixture isthen poured into the outer body 20, which contains the liquid. Theliquid may be included into the outer body 20 up to a level indicated bythe dashed line 9 in FIG. 1. Either way, the mixture is not provided allthe way to the top, and a gap remains between the top level of theliquid and the uppermost end of the outer body 20.

The outer body 20 and the liquid in the volume 11 is then refrigerated,either by refrigerating the volume in which the outer body 20 is locatedat the time the jelly mixture was poured into the volume 11 or else bymoving the outer body 20 and temporary lid into a refrigerated volume(such as is provided by a domestic or commercial refrigerator). Aftersome time, typically 3-4 hours, the gelatin in the jelly mixture causesthe mixture to set into a solid form of jelly.

Once the jelly has set, the outer body 20 can be removed from therefrigerated volume.

Although in the above the aperture 10 is closed using a temporary lidplaced over the end of the outer body 20 that is uppermost in FIG. 1,the aperture may be closed in some other way. For instance, the outerbody 20 may be placed upside down onto a flat surface which is eitherlocated within a refrigerable volume or can be carried into and placedinto a refrigerated volume. Because the end member 1 has a flat surface,the aperture 10 is closed when the outer body 20 is placed onto the flatsurface. When the outer body 20 has been placed on the flat surface, itprovides the aperture at its uppermost end that has a diameter equal tothe diameter of the outer body 20. Because of the placement of the endmember 1 against the flat surface on which the outer body 20 has beenplaced, the lowermost end of the outer body 20 is closed.

After it has set, the jelly in the volume 11 is in solid form so doesnot flow through the aperture 10. Additionally, the outer body 20 can beinverted such that the aperture 10 is at the top and the open end is atthe bottom. In this condition, also, the jelly in the volume 11 does notfall through the bottom end of the outer body 20 because of its solidform. The jelly is held in place in part due to friction with the outerbody 20 and in part because of the presence of the threads, whichprovide a barrier to movement of the jelly along the outer body 20.

In order to provide the drinking vessel ready for use, a user insertsthe uppermost end of the inner body 30 into the opening at the lowermostend of the outer body 20, initially aligning the protuberances 5 withthe guide threads 2 and then maneuvers the two bodies into each othersuch that the protuberances 5 and the guide threads 2 engage and causethe inner body 30 to extend axially into the outer body 20, in amovement as prescribed by the pattern of the guide threads 2. Once theend of the inner body 30 contacts the surface of the jelly in the volume11, the user stops maneuvering the inner body 30 relative to the outerbody 20.

The dotted line shown at 8 in FIG. 2 shows the amount of the inner body30 that is extended into the outer body 20 when the outer body 20 isprovided with jelly in the volume 11 and prior to the jelly beingexpelled by action of the user.

Prior to the end of the inner body 30 contacting the surface of thejelly in the volume 11, air that was in the volume between these twosurfaces is released between the guide threads 2 and the protuberances5. Air can escape between the guide threads 2 and the protuberances 5because there is little reaction force between the guide threads 2 ofthe inner body 30 and the protuberances 5 of outer body 20 at thisstage.

The lid 40 is applied to the outer body 20 by the user screwing the lid40 onto the top end of the outer body 20 such that the threads 18, 15engage with one another. Once the lid 40 has been placed onto the outerbody 20, the channel 19 is full of air. Jelly is located in the volume11 in the outer body 20 up to the location of the aperture 10, but atthis stage does not pass into the channel 19.

It will be appreciated that the lid can be provided onto the outer bodybefore the inner body 30 is inserted into the outer body, or the otherway around.

At this stage, the drinking vessel is containing jelly and is ready tobe used.

The jelly is a solid and thus does not flow in the same way that drinksnormally flow. However, bonds in the structure of the jelly can beovercome with relatively little force, allowing the solid jelly to bebroken up. The force required to break the bonds in the structure of thejelly cannot be normally overcome by the suction force that a user canapply to the jelly through a drinking straw, for example, so drinking ajelly through a straw is not a viable option. However, such is notnecessary with the drinking vessel described above.

In particular, the jelly in the volume 11 can be dispensed through theaperture 14 of the spout 13 for drinking by a user simply by the userfurther maneuvering the inner body 30 relative to the outer body 20. Inparticular, the user may grasp the outer body 20 in one hand and graspthe gnarled portion 12 or some other part of the inner body 30 with theother hand. The user can then apply a force to the jelly in the volume11 by applying a rotating force to the inner body 30 relative to theouter body 20 such as to cause the inner body 30 to move in an axialdirection relative to the outer body 20. In this particular example,rotating the inner body 30 in an alternatively clockwise andanti-clockwise “twisting” motion, looking at the bottom end of the innerbody 30, causes the inner body 30 to extend axially into the outer body20. This movement, and in particular the force that results in themovement, applies a force to the jelly in the volume 11, which isthereby compressed. The compression of the jelly causes some of thestructural bonds within the jelly to be broken such that the jelly movesinto the channel 19. As the inner body 30 is inserted more, it extendsfurther into the outer body 20 and more jelly is expelled from thevolume 11 into the channel 19 of the lid 40. Further structural bondswithin the composition of the jelly are broken as the jelly moves alongthe channel 19, by virtue of the changing cross-sectional area(tapering) of the channel 19. After sufficient insertion of the innerbody 20, the jelly from the volume 11 reaches the aperture 14 of the lid40 and is expelled therefrom.

In the present embodiment, it is contemplated that there will be threeidentical guide threads 5 in a wave pattern. The use of three guidethreads 5 and corresponding protuberances 2 provides stability ofmovement when maneuvering the inner body 30 into the outer body 20. Thepeaks and troughs of the waves of the guide threads 5 are aligned witheach other, and set apart from each other in alignment with an equalnumber of protuberances 2 on the outer body 20. The diameter of theprotuberances 2 matches the internal width of the guide-threads 5. Theprotuberances are slightly smaller than the guide threads 5, whichallows easy movement. The cross section of the guide threads 5 matchesthe cross section of the protuberances 2. This arrangement enables auser to maneuver the inner body 30 axially, all the way into the outerbody 20 in an alternatively clockwise and anti-clockwise “twisting”motion.

This allows an oscillating movement which allows the user to move theinner body all the way into the outer body without removing their handor fingers from the inner body. In a corresponding arrangement that ishelical in just one direction, the user may be required to release,rotate their hand and then grip again before twisting some more to causethe inner body to progress further into the outer body. Such is notneeded with the present arrangement.

It will be understood that the protuberances 2 can vary in shape, aslong as they fit within or align with the guide threads to which theyare to be mated. For example, they may be generally disc-shaped at thebase (where they are connected to the inner body), but with conicalheads that fit within guide threads that are V-shaped at their bottom.Such a protuberance is shown in FIG. 8 d. A purely conical protuberanceis shown in FIG. 8 c. A purely cylindrical protuberance is shown in FIG.8 a and a dome-shaped protuberance is shown in FIG. 8 b.

There may be more or fewer than three guide threads 5 with correspondingprotuberances 2.

In the case of guide threads 5 comprised of a series of identical waves,for instance as shown in FIG. 7 a, there may be more than one set ofprotuberances 2 spaced along the length of the inner body 20. In thiscase, the protuberances 2 successively mate with the corresponding guidethreads 5 as long as the next set of protuberances are positioned to bein line with the form of the underlying wave.

In some embodiments, a second set of protuberances 2 is positionedexactly one (or more) wavelengths down from the first set ofprotuberances, as shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b. This provides improvedstability of the inner body 30 as it is twisted into the outer body 20.

In other embodiments, second and third sets of protuberances 2 arepositioned integer multiples of wavelengths down from the first set ofprotuberances, as shown in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b. This provides furtherimproved stability of the inner body 30 as it is twisted into the outerbody 20. Although only one guide thread 5 is shown in FIG. 9 c, it willbe appreciated that there are three guide threads 5 spaced to receivethe protuberances 2. In these embodiments, the number of protuberances 2may be an integer multiple of the number of channels 5. Alternatively,one or more sets may have protuberances 2 for some but not all of thechannels 5.

Alternatively, the distance between successive peaks of the guidethreads 5 may change along the length of the guide thread, as shown inFIG. 7 b. In these embodiments, there may be only one set ofprotuberances 2, and they are best aligned at the same longitudinalposition on the inner body 20. The provision of a single set ofprotuberances 2 in this way is considered to be best for shorterlength/lower capacity drinking vessels. Where there is one set ofprotuberances 2, the number of protuberances is equal to the number ofchannels 5.

The spout 13 is shaped such as to fit comfortably into a user's mouth.Thus, a user can place the spout 13 within their mouth and cause thejelly from the volume to be dispensed into their mouth by inserting theinner body 30 relative to the outer body 20.

In embodiments in which the lid 40 is provided with a spout that can beinserted into a user's mouth, the user may form a seal by closing theirlips around the spout. This may allow the user to assist expulsion ofthe jelly from the volume 11 in the outer body 20 by exerting a suckingand/or squeezing (milking) pressure onto the spout, although expulsionmay be provided solely by insertion of the outer body 20 relative to theinner body 30.

The jelly that is expelled from the aperture 14 has the same density asthe jelly within the volume 11. This is the case because there is noopportunity for air or any other fluid to become mixed with the jelly asit passes from within the outer body 20 to the aperture 14. However, thejelly that reaches the aperture 14 has been subjected to various forcesand some bonds within the structure of the jelly have been broken. Assuch, the jelly is in much less of a solid form when it reaches theaperture 14, and from there can pass into the user's mouth, than it waswhen it was in the volume 11 within the outer body 20. Although notnecessarily a true liquid, the broken jelly that is expelled through theaperture 14 is in a form that can be swallowed easily by the userwithout requiring any chewing or other breaking up of the structure ofthe jelly. The jelly is masticated firstly by the action of passingthrough the aperture 10. The jelly is then further masticated by theaction of passing through the tapered channel 19. Thus, the action ofexpelling the jelly from the outer body 20 through the aperture 10 andthe channel 19 and ultimately through the aperture 14 in the lid 40renders the jelly into a quasi-liquid form whereby it can be consumed bythe user in a drinking motion if the user so desires.

Because the aperture 10 is aligned with the channel 19 in use, theaperture 10 and the channel 19 can together be said to form a channel.Both the aperture 10 and the channel 19 provide mastication.

The storage of the jelly within the outer body in a solid form, ratherthan in a liquid or quasi-liquid form, provides a number of advantages.Particularly, the jelly cannot be spilt, in the sense that a liquiddrink can be spilt. As such, the use of the drinking vessel filled withjelly can be particularly advantageous in environments where liquiddrinks would potentially be problematic. These include crowded places inwhich the spilling of liquid drinks can easily occur, especially if thismight result in the spoiling of clothes etc. It also includes cleanenvironments, electrical environments etc., where the presence of aliquid could potentially be very hazardous. It also includeszero-gravity environments, such as those found in earth orbit, in whichfree-floating liquid droplets may potentially do a lot of damage tosensitive equipment.

There are some features of the drinking vessel itself which contributeto avoiding spillages. These include the guide-thread 2 to protuberance5 connection between the inner body 30 and the outer body 20. Inparticular, specific maneuvering between the inner body 30 and the outerbody 20, in particular an oscillating movement, is required in order toexpel the jelly from the volume 11. Such a movement would not normallyoccur accidentally.

Additionally, the drinking vessel is less prone than a water bottle ordrinks bottle of a similar size and shape to be inadvertently squeezedor dented, which would ordinarily increase the pressure of fluid withinthe drinking vessel. With this drinking vessel, the presence of theinner body 30 within the outer body 20 means that the outer body 20 isless able to be squeezed or dented by external force towards thelongitudinal axis of the drinking vessel. As such, the accidentalexpelling of the contents of the drinking vessel through the aperture 14is less likely. The resistance to squeezing of the drinking vessel isprovided largely by the wall or piston face 7 that is at the top end ofthe inner body 30. However, the wall 6 of the inner body 30 contributesalso to resisting against the squeezing of the outer body 20.

It will be appreciated that the drinking vessel can be stood on asurface, for instance a table, when full or part full of jelly withoutthe jelly being expelled from the aperture 14. In particular, the vesselcan be placed on the end 12 of the inner body 30, so that the drinkingvessel is standing upright. Although this results in gravity applying adownwards force on the outer body 20 and the lid 40, relative movementbetween the outer body 20 and the inner body 30 is prevented by virtueof the guide-thread fit between the components, and also in part due tothe solid nature of the jelly included in the volume 11.

An alternative lid is shown in FIGS. 10 a and 10 b. The lid 50 is ableto replace the lid 40 on the uppermost end of the outer body 20. The lid50 includes a tubular part 11 having an internal thread 15, in the sameway as the lid 40 shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b.

However, the lid 50 is absent a spout. Instead, a channel extendsinternally within the lid 50 from a location adjacent to the aperture 10of the outer body 20 to a mouth 16. A lip 22 is formed around theuppermost edge of the lid 50. The mouth 16 of the channel 21 exits thebody of the lid 50 adjacent to the lip 22. The presence of the lip 22makes it easy for the user to place the drinking vessel against theirmouth in such a way that jelly dispensed from the volume 11 enters intotheir mouth. In particular, the lip 22 is curved generally outwardlyfrom the axis of the drinking vessel such as to form a comfortable fiton top of a lower lip of the mouth of the user. As such, jelly that isexpelled through the mouth 16 then passes over the lip 22 of the lid 50and into the mouth of the user, similarly to the way in which liquidwould pass from a glass or cup having an outwardly extending lip as theglass or cup is tipped upwards when the lip of the cup or glass waslocated on top of the lower lip of the user's mouth.

Instead of the mouth 16 of the channel 21 being adjacent the lip, themouth of the channel 16 may be within the lip, for instance at the edgeof the lip that extends furthest into the user's mouth in use. In thiscase, the outer shape of the lip may be uniform or it may have adifferent shape in the region of the mouth compared to other parts ofthe lip.

As can be seen from both FIGS. 10 a and 10 b, the channel 21 in the lid50 is of a non-regular shape, and includes at least two bends. Thiscontributes to causing breakup of the structure within the jelly as itis forced from the volume 11 through the aperture 10 and along thechannel 21 to the mouth 16. This causes breakup (mastication) of thejelly, allowing it to be drunk by the user without requiring chewing orother breaking up of the structure of the jelly within the user's mouth.The effect is further enhanced by the fact that the area of the channel21 at the mouth 16 is significantly lower than the area of the channelat the other end, which is adjacent the aperture 10 in the outer body20. This causes the speed of flow of the jelly to increase as it passesalong the channel 21, causing further breakup of the structure of thejelly as it passes along the channel 21.

An alternative form for the guide threads 5 is illustrated in FIG. 11.Here, the guide thread 5 in one direction extends to a corner 110 beforeextending in the other direction without also extending forwards, andthen extending forwards. This allows the protuberance 2 to mate with thepart of the guide thread 5 that extends in the other direction withoutrequiring movement of the inner body 30 longitudinally within the outerbody with there being engagement between the protuberance 2 and theguide thread 5. In the absence of this feature, the user is required topush the inner body 30 longitudinally within the outer body before thechange in direction in rotation.

Various alternatives will be apparent to the skilled person, and theinvention is not limited by the specific embodiments described above. Anumber of alternatives will now be described.

Although in the above only a single aperture 10 is included in the endmember 1 of the outer housing 20, it will be appreciate that insteadthere may be multiple apertures, or indeed the end member 1 may beomitted entirely. The use of one or more apertures in specific locationsallows the provision of a channel in the lid that causes the structureof the jelly to be broken down or masticated as it is forced from thevolume 11 within the outer body 20 to a location where it can enter themouth of the user.

Additionally, although in the above the outer body 20 and the lid 40, 50are described as being separate components that can be connectedtogether, in other embodiments the outer body and the lid may beunitary.

Although in the above it is jelly, Jello or a gelatin dessert that isprovided in the body 11, other substances may alternatively be includedwithin the drinking vessel for dispensing into the mouth of the user.For instance, a gel or paste may be provided in the volume 11. In thecase of a gel or paste, mastication as the gel or paste passes throughthe channel of the lid may be less important, or not important at all. Apaste or gel typically has a lower water content than a jelly. Theprovision of a gel or paste in this way may be primarily for the purposeof nutrition. The dispensing of a jelly may be more for the purpose ofhydration and/or taste and/or the provision of a desired chemical, suchas alcohol. However, a jelly can be configured to provide nutrition, anda paste or gel can provide hydration. The drinking vessel provides spillresistance when used with a paste or gel.

After all of the jelly has been dispensed, at which time the piston face7 of the inner body 30 is located against the end member 1 of the outerbody, the drinking vessel may be disassembled for reuse. Disassembly isperformed by the user maneuvering the inner body 30 relative to theouter body in the opposite direction along the guide threads 2. Aftersufficient maneuvering, the inner body becomes removed from the outerbody 20. The lid 40, 50 may also be removed.

After disassembly of the drinking vessel, some residual jelly may remainon the internal surfaces of the outer body 20, and may be included alsoon some surfaces of the outer body 20. The channel 19, 21 within the lid40, 50 may remain filled with jelly. The jelly in the channel will havebeen masticated to some extent by the process of movement of the jellyinto and along the channel. As such, removal of this jelly is relativelyeasy. Cleaning of the inner body 30 and the outer body 20 may beperformed using a sponge, cloth or brush in the same way that cups,glasses etc. can be cleaned by a user washing them in soapy water.Alternatively, the components may be placed into a dishwasher, forautomatic cleaning. In either case, the configuration of the drinkingvessel is such that cleaning is relatively straightforward andeffective.

The components of the drinking vessel, particularly the outer body 20,the inner body 30 and the lid 40, 50 may be formed of any suitablematerial. Plastics materials may be particularly suitable for thecomponents, but glass, ceramics, metals etc. may be used instead.

In the case of a lid 40 including a spout 13, a soft plastic materialmay be used, so as to maximize the effectiveness of the spout.

Once the drinking vessel contains set jelly, it can be placed on itsside on a surface such as a table, although the cylindrical nature ofthe outer body 20 is such that it may roll around on an uneven surface.

The protuberances 2 on the inner body 30 and the guide threads 5 on theouter body 20 may cover the whole of the range of which the inner body30 and the outer body 20 may be moved. Alternatively, the guide threadsmay be in respect of only part of this range, as long as theguide-thread arrangement allows the user to control displacement of theinner body 30 within the outer body over all of the required range bymaneuvering the protuberances 5 on the inner body 30 into the outer body20.

The guide threads 2 of the inner body 30 and the protuberances 5 on theouter body 20 may be provided with surface coating so as to providelower levels of static and/or dynamic friction as the inner body 30 ismaneuvered into and out of the outer body 20.

Providing a relatively tight guide thread-to-protuberance fit betweenthe inner body 30 and the outer body 20 may provide a good userexperience, particularly if low-friction materials or coatings are used.However, having a relatively loose fit may make operation of thedrinking vessel simpler by allowing some jelly from the volume 11 toenter into the guide-screw t0 protuberance arrangement and therebylubricate it as jelly is expelled. Although this results in some wastageof the jelly, it is relatively little jelly that is wasted and it canallow the use of cheaper materials, reducing overall cost of themanufacture of the drinking vessel.

Instead of being planar, the piston face 7, 7B may be provided withfeatures so that it is non-planar. The features can contribute tomastication of jelly close to the piston face 7, 7B as the inner body 30is maneuvered into the main body to dispense jelly. A valley-shapedcross-section, such as a U-shape or a V-shape, may also cause looseningof jelly and breaking of the bonds between the jelly and inner wall ofthe outer body 20 beyond the physical location of the inner body 30.

Although in the above embodiments it is the outer body 20 that includesthe aperture 10 through which the jelly is dispensed to the user, itwill be appreciated that instead the aperture could be provided in theinner body. However, the provision of the aperture 10 in the outer bodyprovides a simpler arrangement, in particular that it allow the jelly tobe dispensed to the user through a relatively unsophisticated mechanism.

Although in the above the outer body 20 has an internal guide thread 5that engages with protuberances 2 on the inner body, the converse may betrue. For instance, the outer body may be provided with protuberances onits internal surface that mate with guide threads or channels 5 on theouter surface of the inner body. This is advantageous as it allows avisual preview of the twisting motion the user would be expected toperform, in particular by allowing the user to inspect the form of theguide threads and thereby be able to identify the motion that is neededin order to operate the drinking vessel. This can result in an improveduser experience and a lower likelihood that the user will not be ableeasily to dispense the jelly.

The drinking vessel can be made of a plastics material of reasonablerigidity, allowing it to be reused. However, a disposable drinkingvessel can be provided with a similar structure but using lower costmaterials, or using less of the same material. Disposable drinkingvessels may be particularly interesting in relation to the containingand dispensing of alcoholic beverages as jellies.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made theretowithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are,accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense.

We claim:
 1. A beverage or foodstuff dispenser comprising: a generallycylindrical body part having at one end a dispensing channel fordispensing a jelly, gel or paste to a user and at the other end anopening for receiving a dispensing member; wherein the dispensing memberand the generally cylindrical body part are provided with one or moreprotuberances and one or more guide channels for guiding theprotuberances so as to cause movement of the dispensing member along andwithin the body part towards the one end as the dispensing member isrotated first in one rotational direction and then in the oppositerotational direction relative to the body part, thereby to provide thedispensing of the jelly, gel or paste through the dispensing channel. 2.The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or moreprotuberances are provided on the dispensing member and the one or moreguide channels are provided on the generally cylindrical body part. 3.The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of protuberancesis one or more of: same as a number of guide channels, greater than thenumber of guide channels, and an integer multiple of the number of guidechannels.
 4. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one ormore guide channels have a generally sinusoidal form.
 5. The dispenseras claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between successive peaks ofthe one or more channels is one or more of: equal to the length of thechannels, variable along a length of the channels,
 6. The dispenser asclaimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of protuberances spaced atdifferent longitudinal positions along the dispenser.
 7. The dispenseras claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing channel is tapered.
 8. Thedispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing member has aface that extends across the longitudinal axis of the body part in useand is configured to exert an expelling force against the jelly, gel orpaste as the dispensing member moves helically within the body part. 9.The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the face of the dispensingmember is one of: substantially planar or non-planar.
 10. The dispenseras claimed in claim 8, wherein the face of the dispensing member has avalley shaped, e.g. V- or U-shaped, cross section.
 11. The dispenser asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing member includes a grip forallowing a user to rotate the dispensing member relative to the bodypart.
 12. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generallycylindrical body part comprises an outer body and a lid, and wherein thedispensing channel is formed at least in part in the lid.
 13. Thedispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer body includes an endmember at one end, the end member including an aperture that forms atleast part of the dispensing channel.
 14. The dispenser as claimed inclaim 1, wherein: the outer body includes an end member at one end, theend member including an aperture; the generally cylindrical body partcomprises an outer body and a lid, and the dispensing channel is formedin part in the lid and in part by the aperture.
 15. The dispenser asclaimed in claim 14, wherein the aperture included in the end memberaligns with an opening of the dispensing channel when the lid is fittedto the outer body.
 16. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, containing ajelly, gel or paste.
 17. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe dispensing channel includes one or more bends.
 18. A dispensercomprising: a generally cylindrical body part with a dispensing channelfor dispensing a consumable to a user at a first end, and an opening forreceiving a dispensing member at a second end; one or more protuberancesand one or more guide channels for guiding the protuberances, to causemovement of the dispensing member along the body part towards the firstend as the dispensing member is rotated first in one rotationaldirection and then in the opposite rotational direction relative to thebody part, thereby to provide the dispensing of the consumable throughthe dispensing channel.
 19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein thenumber of protuberances is one or more of: same as a number of guidechannels, greater than the number of guide channels, and an integermultiple of the number of guide channels.
 20. The dispenser of claim 18,formed of a disposable plastic material.